Mowing-machine



' No. 751,223. PATENTEDFBB. 2, 1904;

ALM. TH'REEWITS.

MOWING MACHINE. APPLIUA' I'ION FILED SEPT. 25, 190 1.

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119.751.223 PATENTED' FEB. 2. 1904. A. M. THRE-EWITS.

MOWING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 25, 1901. no menu. s snsg-rs-snnm 2.

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UNITED STATES" PATENT OFFICE.

Patented February 2, 1904.

ALVIN M. THREEWITS, GENTERVILLE, INDIANA.

MOWING-MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 751,223, dated February2, 1904.

Application filed September 25,1901. Serial No. 76,482. (No model.) i

T aZZ whom it iii/cry concern.-

Be it known that I, ALVIN M. THREEWITS, a citizen of the United States,residing at Genterville, in the county of Wayne and State of Indiana,have invented a new and useful Mowing-Machine, of which the following isa specification.

. This invention relates to mowing-machines,

r and has for its object to present a cheaply-constructed,highly-durable, and thoroughly-efii-.

cient machine which in use will beeifective for long-continued usewithout danger of the parts becoming broken or injured under ordinaryusage.

A further object is to present a novel, form of cutter-bar-actuatingmechanism which in operation shall be positive in its action and willprevent any clattering or banging resulting from lost motion, theconstruction of the mechanism being such that all lost motion isabsorbed.

A further object is to present a novel form of attachment between thecasing or boxing of the cutter-bar-actuating mechanism and the shoe, theconnection being such as to permit 7 of the finger-bar being tilted orrocked without changing the position of the boxing of thecutter-bar-actuating mechanism.

A further object is to provide a novel form With these and various otherobjects in view, as will appear as, the nature of the in vention isbetter understood, the same consists in the novel construction andcombination of parts of a mowing-machine, as will be hereinafter fullydescribed, and specifically pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, forming apart of this specification, andin which like numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts, thereis illustrated a form of embodiment of the invention capable of carryingthe same into practical operation, it being understood that the elementsherein exhibited may be varied or changed as to shape, proportion, andexact manner of assemblage without departing from the scope of theinvention, and in thedrawings Figure 1 is a view in'plan of themowingmachine. Fig. 2 is a viewin side elevation, partly in section.Fig. 3 is a View in plan, partly in section, of the cutter-bar-actuatingmechanism. Fig. 4: is a View in side elevation,

partly in section, of the said mechanism. Fig. 5 is a view in elevation,partly in section, showing the cutterrbar drive-shaft and the sleeve orcasing in which it is housed. Fig. 6 is a view in perspective ofabracket towhich certain of the operating mechanisms of the apparatusare connected. Fig. 7 is a detached detail view in section, showing thecollar on the sleeve of the cutter-bar drive-shaft and a portion of thebrace-rod that connects with the collar and with the bracket shown inFig. 6. Fig. 8 is a detached detail view in section, showing a part ofthe clutch mechanism for controlling the operation of the cutter-bar.Fig. 9 is a detached detail view in perspective, showing the collar orring that is associated with the movable member of the clutch. Fig. 10is a view in plan, showing more particularly the manner of connectingthe balancing-spring with the sleeve of the cutter-bardrive-shaft andwith the bracket onthe heel of the shoe.

Fig. 11 is a detached detail view of the actuating-cam that effectsreciprocation of the cutter-bar. Fig. 12 is a fragmentary detailview ofa part of the adjustable shoe-runner, showing the manner in which it isconnected with the shoe.

Referring to the drawings, 1 designates a tubular frame-bar, throughwhich passes an axle 2, carrying the ordinary peripherallytoothedsupporting and drive wheels 3 and 4, respectively, and'mounted upon theshaft 2 is a driving-gear 5, meshing with a pinion 6,

' carried by'a shaft 7, arranged parallel with the shaft 2, the shaft 7carrying a bevel-gear 8, which meshes with a similar gear 9, carried bythe cutter-bar-actuating shaft 10, through which motion throughthemedium of interposed mechanism is imparted to the cutter= bar. To shieldthe gear 5, pinion 6, shaft 7, and bevel-gears 8 and 9, these parts areinclosed or housed within casings 12, 13, 14, and 15, respectively, theshaft being also housed in a sleeve or casing 16, the latter carryingnear one end the housing of the bevelgear 9 and at its opposite end aboxing or housing 17 for the cutter-bar-actuating mechanism. The tubularframe-bar 1 is provided at one side adjacent to thewheel 3 with two lugsor projections 18, between which is bolted one end of a brace-rod 19,the other end of which has a threaded connection with an angular offset20, carried by the lower portion of the sleeve 16, this brace-rod 19serving to give rigidity to the sleeve 16 to enable it to remain firmunder the vibratory motion impartedto it from the operation of thecutterbar, the upper end of the sleeve 16 having a swiveled connectionwith the shaft 7, in this instance by providing the said end of thesleeve with a two-part bearing, the members of which are held assembledby bolts 21. As will be observed by reference to Fig. 1, the lugs 18project downward from the frame-bar 1, and by this arrangement thesleeve 16 and its 00- acting mechanism may be raised or depressedthereby to regulate the distance at which the cutter-bar shall be heldabove the ground.

The boxing 17 has a tubular hollow portion 22, that is connected withthe lower end of the sleeve 16, preferably by a screw-threadedconnection, and the outer end of the shaft 10 works in a bearing 23,formed in the outer wall of the said boxing, the upper portion of theshaft 10 engaging a bearing 24, carried by the sleeve 16, adjacent tothe boxing 15, and by thus providing bearings as near the extremities ofthe shaft 10 as is permissible the shaft will be caused to operatewithout any end shake, which would be objectionable, for well-knownreasons. Upon the shaft 10 and working within the boxing 17 is mounted acutter-bar-actuating cam 25, the same in this instance being shown asapproximately heart-shaped, although it may be of other contours andstill be within the scope of the invention. On the shaft 10 on each sideof the cam is mounted a bearing-block 26, which are shown in thisinstance as rectangular,and these blocks engage rectangular openings 27,formed in the two sides of a frame 28, constituting the cutter-bardriver, the frame by preference being made in two parts, held assembledby a bolt 29 and a nut 30 at each end thereof, as clearly shown in Figs.3 and 4. Passing through the frame are two stud-shafts 31, each carryinga thrust-bearing wheel 32 to bear against opposite sides of the cam 25,whereby when the cam '25 is driven through the shaft 10 reciprocatorymotion will be imparted to the frame 28 and from this to the cutter-bar,as will presently appear. The boxing 17 is provided with a stud or arm33, which extends through the yoke of the shoe 34 and is held inposition thercagainst by a pin 35, between which and the shoe isinterposed a collar 36, thereby to insure easy rotation of the cutterbarframe on the projection when the frame is tilted to adjust the cuttingmechanism thereof with relation to the ground. Below the projection 33and in the end of the boxing 17 is an orifice 37, through which projectsa twopart arm 38, the members of which constitute the terminals of oneend of the frame 28, the extremities of the arms 38 being each providedwith a socket-bearing 39 to engage with a ballhead 40 on the inner endof the cutter-bar. Passing through the members of the arm 38 is a bolt41, carrying a nut 42, the outer face of which latter is serrated ortoothed, the serrations to be engaged by a cotter-pin 43,seatcd in anopening in the end of the bolt, thereby to hold the nut from turning onthe bolt when the bearing 39 has been properly adjusted with relation tothe ball-head 40. The fingerbar 44 and shoe 34 may be of any usual orpreferred construction; but from a standpoint of simplicity ofconstruction and material increase in strength the shoe is by preferencecast of a single piece of metal, as clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

Carried by the yoke of the shoe 34 is a bracket 45, (shown in detail inFig. 6,) the bracket being secured to the yoke by bolts or otherequivalent form of fastening device passed through openings 46 at thebase of the bracket. This bracket is provided with a series ofhorizontally-disposed openings 47, to be engaged by the inturned end 48of the balancing-spring 49, and with openings 50, to be engaged by bolts50, passed through the upturned end of the runner 50 of the shoe, asshown in Fig. 12. The bracket is also provided with an offset 51, bywhich to permit insertion through one of the series of openings 47 ofthe end of the balancing-spring, the said end being provided with anorifice 52, through which is passed a cotter-pin 53 to hold the springproperly secured to the bracket.

The balancing-spring holds the cutter-bar at the proper operative planeand will be so adjusted, as to tension, as to prevent the said bar fromswinging below that plane, whereby objectionable frictional contactbetween the shoe and the ground will be obviated. This spring also aidsin lifting the finger-bar and its associated mechanism and connectionswhen the parts are to be brought to avertical posi-' tion, as by theaction of the spring the weight of the bar and its parts is transmittedto the lower end of the shaft-casing 16, the upper end of which, asbefore stated, is swiveled to the shaft 7.

The bevel-gear 8 in operation also tends to lift the lower end of thecasing 16, thereby still further reducing the frictional contact betweenthe shoe and the ground, causing thereby an increase in the traction andpower of the machine, thereby rendering unnecesby bolts 58 and nuts 59,as clearly shown in Fig. 7. The brace-rod serves effectively to bracethe finger-bar against rearward yield; under the operation of themachine, while by reason of the collar 56 the finger-bar and the cutterbar actuating mechanism may be raised to throw the finger-bar at rightangles to its normal position, as is usual with machines of thischaracter. The sleeve 16, adja-' cent to the oifsetQO, is provided withan upward-extending arm 60, which is engaged by the free end of thebalancing-spring 49, and this arm is also engaged by one end of alifting-chain 61, the other end of which is secured to an orificed arm63, carried by the bracket 45, the intermediate portion of thelifting-chain 61 being hooked into engagement with a hook 64, carried bythe lower end of a lifting-lever 65, pivoted upon the tongue 66, arack-plate 67 secured to the tongue and engaged by a latch mechanism 68on the lever 65, serving to hold the finger-bar and its coactingmechanism elevated at the desired dis tance above the ground. To effectthe lifting of thefinger-bar at right angles to its normal position, achain 69 is provided, one end of which is secured to the arm 63 of thebracket 45 and the other end is wound around a drum 70, supported inbearings 71 on the top of the tongue, the'rear one of the bearings beingtaller than the forward one in order to tilt the operating-handle 72 ofthe drum a 'proper distance above the tongue to admit of the shaft beingoperated to turn the drum. To hold the drum at any desired adjustment,

" the same is provided with a ratchet-wheel 7 2,

to be engaged by a pawl 7 2 pivoted to the tongue 66, as shown in Fig.2, the ratchet to be readily movable to release thedrum.

As a means for tilting the cutter-bar 'a lever 73 is provided which ispivoted to the side of the sleeve-casting 16 and has its lower endprojected below the same and connected to one end of the rod 74, theother end of which .projects through a lug or boss 7 5 on an extension33 of the shoe 34:, this latter end of the rod being provided with twonuts 7 6, by which to effect proper adjustment of rack-plate 7 8,secured to the sleeve-casting, thus to hold the finger-bar in its tiltedposilost motion.

The lever tion. To brace the shoev against rearward movement under theoperation of the machine, a draw-rod 7 9 is employed, one end of whichis hooked or otherwise secured to a projection 80 on the shoe. The otherend of the rod is bent at an angle to its length and passes through alug 81, carried by a clevis 81*, to which the doubletree is secured, twonuts 82, carried by the last-named end of the rod, serving to hold itadjustably connected with the clevis. The connection between the rod 7 9and the clevis 81 is such as to permit the finger-bar and its attachedmechanism being thrown up at the desired angle above the ground, as-willbe readily understood by reference to Fig. 1.

The clutch mechanism by which the gear 8 is looked upon the shaft 7comprises an ordinaryratchet-toothed collar 83, engaging cor-.

responding teeth in the hub portion of the gear 8, the collar 83 beingheld .against turning on the shaft 7 by a key 84,'half-seated in theshaft-opening of the collar and in the shaft. v

The collar 83 is provided with aperipheral groove 85, that is engaged bya collar 86, and to the collar 86 is secured a yoke 87 having a pintle88, by which it is secured to the intermediate portion of a spring-lever89, one end of which is pivotally connected withthe tongue, as shown inFig. 1, and the othcrend' extends rearward and in proximity to theoperators seat 90, whereby the operator may readily shift the lever,thus to efli'ect clutching and unclutching when desired, pins 89 beingprovided on the tongue between which the lever will spring, and thushold it in its shifted the cam 25, imparting by its movement rapid vreciprocatory movement to the driver-frame 28 and the latter to thecutter-bar. By reason of the fact that the cam 25 is borne upon equallythroughout its entire periphery by the thrust-bearing wheels 32positive. motion will be imparted to the cutter-bar without any Shouldthe angle of the cutterbar with relation to the ground not be correct,this defect may readily be remedied by operating the tilting lever 73,even while the machine is in operation, and under the same-provisionshould it be desired to lift the fingerbar above the ground it will onlybe necessary to operate the lever 65 for this purpose by swinging thesame backward anddoWn-' wind the chain 69 upon the drum, as will beunderstood by reference to Figs. 1 and 2, the boxing moving upon thesleeve 16 as an axis when the finger-bar is thus moved.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is-- 1. In a mowing-machine, adriven shaft, a sleeve surrounding the same, a boxing having swivelconnection with said sleeve and provided with a pintle extendinglaterally at right angles to said sleeve, and a shoe swiveled upon saidpintle.

2. In a mowing-machine, a driven shaft, a sleeve surrounding the same, aboxing having swivel connection with said sleeve, a reciprocatory framewithin said boxing, a cam upon the driven shaft, imparting motion tosaid reciprocatory frame, a pintle extending laterally from the boxingat right angles to the driven shaft, a shoe swiveled upon said pintle,cutting apparatus supported upon said shoe, and a flexible connectionbetween the cutting apparatus and the reciprocatory frame.

3. In a mowing-machine, the combination with the shoe having ayoke, of aboxing having a swivel connection with the yoke, a frame disposed withinthe boxing and provided at one end with means for engagement with thecutter-bar, thrust-bearing wheels carried by the frame, and apositively-driven cam engaging the said wheels.

4. In a mowing-machine, a driven shaft, a sleeve surrounding the same, aboxing having swivel connection with said sleeve, said boxing beingprovided with a laterally-extending pintle and with a slot below saidpintle, a reciprocatory frame within the boxing having one end extendedthrough the slot in the same, a cam arranged upon the driven shaftengaging and transmitting motion to the reciprocatory frame, a shoehaving swivel connection with the laterally-extending pintle of theboxing, cutting apparatus supported by the shoe and connected flexiblywith the extended end of the reciprocatory frame.

5. In a mowing-machine, a driven shaft, a sleeve surrounding the same, aboxing having swivel connection with said sleeve and provided with aslot in one end thereof, a pintle extending laterally from said boxingabove said slot, a shoe having swivel connection with said pintle, acam, a reciprocatory frame operated by said cam and mounted in theboxing, said frame being composed of side members having ends extendedthrough said slot and terminating in semispherical cups, a cutter-barsupported by the shoe and having an arm terminating in a ball, and meansfor tightening the semispherical cups of the driver upon said ball.

6. In a mowingmachine,a wheel-supported axle, a driven shaft, a cam uponthe same, a

sleeve surrounding the said shaft and having hinge connection with theaxle, aboxing provided with a slot and having swivel connection with theouter end of the sleeve, a pintle extending laterally from said boxingat right angles to the driven shaft, a shoe having swivel connectionwith said pintle, cutting apparatus supported by the shoe, a cam-drivenreciprocatory frame within the boxing having arms extending through theslot in the same, and a ball-and-socket connection between saidcam-driven frame and the cutting apparatus.

7. In a mowing-machine, the combination with the shoe and thefinger-bar, of a boxing having a swivel connection with the said bar,

a shaft journaled in suitable bearings in the boxing, a frame connectedat one end to the cutter-bar and provided with alined rectangularopenings, thrust-bearing wheels carried by the said frame, and a camcarried by the shaft with which the said wheels coact.

8. In a mowing-machine, the combination with the shoe, of abracket-frame secured to the heel end of said shoe, said bracket-framecomprising a plate having an offset portion bolted to the shoe, aplurality of perforations, an upwardly-extending bracket and arearwardly-extending bracket,.said brackets being perforated forconnection with supporting means connected with the frame of themachine.

9. In a mowing-machine, the combination with a shoe, of a bracket-framebolted to the rear end of said shoe and having an offset portionprovided with a rearwardlyextending arm, and a runner connectedadjustably with said bracket-frame and extending forwardly under theshoe.

10. In a mowing-machine, a sleeve constituting a shaft-casing and havinghinged connection with the frame of the machine, a boxing having swivelconnection with said sleeve, a shoe having swivel connection with saidboxing, a collar swiveled upon the sleeve and having a threaded socket,and a brace-rod connected at one end with the heel end of the shoe andat the other end with the threaded socket of the swiveled collar.

11. In a mowing-machine, a sleeve constituting a shaft-casing havinghinge connection with the frame and provided near its free end with anoblique rearwardly-extending threaded socket and a brace-rod havingthreaded connection with said socket and having hinge connection at itsopposite end with the frame of the machine.

12. In amowing-machine,a sleeve connected with the frame, forming ashaft-casing and provided near its front end with an upstanding arm, aboxing having swivel connection with the outer end of said sleeve, ashoe connected with said boxing, an arm connected with and projectingupwardly from said shoe,

and a spring connecting said arm with the upstanding arm of the sleeve.

18. In a mowing-machine, a sleeve connected with the frame, constitutinga shaft-casing and having an upstanding arm near its outer end, a boxinghaving swivel connection with the outer end of said sleeve, a shoeconnected with said boxing, a bracket connected with and extendingupwardly from the heel end of said shoe, a balancing-spring connectingsaid bracket with the upstanding arm of the sleeve, and means foradjusting the swiveled boxing on itsaxis.

14:. In a mowing-machine, a sleeve connected with the frame and providedwith an upstanding arm, a boxing having swivel connection with theouter'end of said sleeve, a shoe having swivel connection with saidboxing at right angles to the connection of the latter with the sleeve,a balancing-spring connecting the shoe with the upstanding arm of thesleeve, a chain having its ends connected with the sleeve and with theheel end of the shoe, and a hooked adjusting-lever connected with anintermediate point of the chain, said chain and lever serving to gagethe expansion of said balancing-spring.

15. In a mowing-machine,the combination with a shoe carrying a bracketand a'sleeve supporting the cutter-bar-actuating mechanism, anequalizing-spring secured at one end to the sleeve and having itsotherend adjustably connected with the bracket, a liftingchain having one endconnected with the bracket and its other end to the sleeve, and alifting-lever in engagement with the chain.

16. Inamowing-machine, aswiveled sleeve, a boxing turning upon thesleeve and carrying the shoe and the cutting mechanism, andcutter-bar-actuating mechanism carried by the boxing and comprising aframe carrying antifriction-bearings and a shaft journaled in the sleeveand having a cam engaging said bearings.

17 In amowing-machine, aswiveled sleeve, a shaft housed therein andcarrying at one end means for imparting reciprocatory motion to thecutter-bar, a balance-spring connected with the shoe and with thesleeve, a liftingchain also connected with the shoe and with the sleeve,a winding-drum, a hoisting-chain connected at one end to the shoe andhaving its other end passed around the windingdrum, a tilting lever, arod connected at one end with a portion of the shoeand having itsopposite end associated with the tiltinglever,

operative position under all conditions of use.

18. In a mowing-machine, the combination withaswiveled sleeve carryingthe cutter-baractuating mechanism, a boxing turning about the sleeve anda shoe having swiveled connection with the boxing, of a brace-rod havingone end connected with the shoe and the other end connected with acollar on the sleeve, the connection being such as to permit thefingerbar tobe turned upward at right angles to its normal position.

19. In a mowing-machine, the combination of a swiveled sleeveconstituting a shaft-casing, a boxing turning about said sleeve, a shoehaving swivel connection with the boxing and supporting the cuttingmechanism, a yoke upon said shoe, a bracket extending from the tongue ofthe machine, a brace-rod having hooked connection with the yoke of theshoe and swivel connection with the bracket extending from the tongue,and means whereby the boxing may be turned upon the sleeve to elevatethe cutting apparatus. -V

20. In a mowing-machine, the combination of a sleeve constituting ashaft-casing, a boxing turning about the sleeve and having alaterally-extending pintle, a shoe having a yoke and alaterally-perforatedextension engaging and swiveled upon said pintle, alug extending upwardly from the shoe extension, a tilting leverfulcrumed upon the sleeve, and a rod connecting said tilting lever. withthe lug upon the shoe extension.

21. In a mowing-machine, a sleeve constituting a shaft-casing, a boxinghaving swivel connection with the sleeve and provided with alaterally-extending pintle, a shoe having swivel connection with saidpintle, a bracket mounted upon and extended laterally from the tongue ofthe machine, bracerods-con.-l

nected at'their outer ends'with the shoe and having their inner endsconnected by swiveljoints respectively with-the bracket extending fromthe tongue and with the sleeve, and lifting means mounted upon thetongue of the machine for turning the shoe'and its related parts and theboxing with which said shoe is connected upon the-axis of said boxing.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as ,my own I have hereto affixedmy signature in the presence of two witnesses.

- ALVIN M. THREEWITS. Witnesses:

B. F. WISSLER, CHAs. S. NEAL.

